


why do stars fall down from the sky

by NightLady



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017), The Worst Witch - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, F/F, More of accidental binding with magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-04 23:53:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15851997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightLady/pseuds/NightLady
Summary: Pippa Pentangle and Hecate Hardbroom are both highly respected members of Cupid's Bureau, each of them excellent at their respective jobs. As one of Cupid's 'Angel's, Pippa is tasked with the extremely important role of matching non-magical people with their other halves, or what some will term, their soulmates. Hecate Hardbroom, on the other hand, has the exact opposite role of a Cupid's Angel. Occasionally termed as a Cupid's 'Devil' (although they very much prefer to be known as 'Liberator's), Hecate and her fellow Liberators are tasked with breaking up destructive couples, mostly so that the Angels can rematch them with more suitable halves. What happens when things go wrong and two different individuals are bound by magic that was never supposed to be meant for them, all thanks to their two young protégés?





	1. on the day that you were born the angels got together

**Author's Note:**

> This plot bunny has been sitting in my head for many weeks now, and I've finally gotten around to getting something written for it. Hope you'll enjoy it! Also, I do apologise in advance for any mistakes.
> 
> While soulmates are mentioned, it really is more of an accidental magical binding AU of sort, than a soulmate AU. I guess, whichever way you prefer to see it works?

_On the day that you were born the angels got together,_

_And decided to create a dream come true._

_~~(They Long To Be) Close To You – The Carpenters~~_

 

Pippa Pentangle was a hopeless romantic, and that was possibly what made her the best candidate for this job. As one of Cupid's 'Angel's (no, it has nothing to do with any taking down of bad guys much like the movie non-magical people produced that involved 'Angels' as well), she held the extremely important role of matching non-magical people with their soulmates.

 

For Pippa, it was extremely rewarding to watch two people find their other halves and falling in love with each other. The happiness that radiated from both parties simply warmed her heart and made her enjoy her job even more. Pippa did not know if she'd ever be able to find her own 'other half', as the same magic was prohibited to be used on witches since the unknown dangers far outweighed the benefits of being bound with another's soul, but to the blonde, it was enough to simply watch her matches go on to live happily ever after.

 

Donned in a shimmering pink gown, coupled with a matching pink mask, the blonde placed one arm over her protégé's shoulders as they stood in one corner of the ballroom. Both pairs of eyes were intently studying a pair of young men standing by the buffet table. To the unpractised gaze, they appeared to be simple businessmen who were networking with each other. It would be easy to miss the gentle touches between the men, and how to them, the rest of the ballroom did not exist at that moment. _They_ were their marks for that night.

 

"Oh Bella, aren't they adorable?" Pippa sighed. Belladonna Starlight simply grinned up at her mentor and nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

 

"If only they know what's about to hit them." Pippa took one more bite of the cupcake she had in hand before vanishing it and dusting her fingers free of any crumbs. "Shall we?"

 

Both Angels made their way across the ballroom, trying to avoid colliding with any non-magical people, and approached their targets for the night. Once a short distance away from both men, Pippa leaned down to whisper in Bella's ear, "And here's your chance. Let's put what you've learned so far to practice, alright? You can do it!"

 

Bella looked up at her blonde mentor, gaping, the uncertainty evident in her chartreuse eyes. "Really, Pippa?"

 

"Really. I'm confident in your abilities, and besides, I'll be right here if anything goes wrong. You won't truly learn until you try, so go on." Pippa gently nudged the young brunette forward.

 

With one last look back at the older witch, Bella took a deep breath before raising both hands towards the two men. Uttering the chant she has repeated so often in her head over the two years of training she's had at the Bureau, the brunette let the two beams of magic flow from each of her hands and watched in awe as the jets of golden light struck true to their targets.

 

"Well done, my dear! And on your very first try too!"

 

"Thank you, Pippa," Bella grinned. "Now, we watch?"

 

"Now, we watch," Pippa agreed, leading the young girl to the side as they await the best part of each job – watching the love blossom between their targets.

 

Pippa had only just leaned against the wall, watching their targets gravitate closer towards each other, when a sudden presence to her right startled her into losing her balance. Before she could fall completely, however, the tall dark witch who had just materialised next to her grabbed hold of her arm, stabilising her.

 

"Hecate!" she chided with a huff.

 

The dark-haired witch grimaced and looked apologetically at her. "Well met, Pippa, Miss Starlight. I didn't mean to scare you."

 

"Well met, darling. I see that you've brought young Mildred with you. Well met, my dear Mildred."

 

At the mention of her name, the young witch ducked out from behind Hecate, hastily sinking into a bow as she greeted the two Angels, "Well met, Miss Pentangle and Bella."

 

Bella quickly followed suit with her greetings, which was swiftly acknowledged by Hecate with a sharp nod. Before anyone else could get another word in, however, the austere-looking woman remarked, "Honestly, Pippa, a mask and a gown?"

 

"It's a masquerade ball, after all. You should've dressed up for this too," Pippa replied, gesturing carelessly towards Hecate's simple black dress. It was no different from what the other woman wore on a daily basis.

 

"There is no need for such frivolity. It isn't like any of these people can see us," Hecate scoffed.

 

"Well, it makes each mark more interesting, and it's not against the Code, is it?" the pink witch retorted, glaring fiercely at the dark-haired witch.

 

Glancing uncertainly at the adults, the two young witches looked at each other helplessly as they tried to urge the other to do something before things grew into a full-blown argument between their mentors, which was not uncommon.

 

With a sigh and an exaggerated eye roll directed at Mildred, whom Bella knew was refusing to speak up because of who her mentor was, the brunette glanced up at Miss Hardbroom with false innocence in her eyes. "So, Miss Hardbroom, Mildred, who are your targets this time?"

 

The tension between the two women was broken as their attention was redirected at the young girl. Pointing towards a table nearby, which was empty save for four people, Hecate answered, "Them. The woman in the purple gown, and the man on her right."

 

The pair could not have looked more like strangers. Seated with their backs facing each other, they were both speaking animatedly to the two other individuals at their table, actively trying to ignore each other. In fact, they appeared more to be a couple with the people they were talking to than with each other.

 

With a grim look on her face, Pippa sighed, "This is sad. If only people could simply be happy with the partners we match them with."

 

"Relationships take work. Our magic can only do so much. They're far more destructive together than apart. If you'll excuse us," Hecate replied softly, before leading Mildred towards their targets.

 

Where Pippa Pentangle was a hopeless romantic and the perfect candidate for an Angel, the same could not be said of Hecate Hardbroom. Hecate was practical and had the exact opposite role of a Cupid's Angel. She could be termed as a Cupid's 'Devil' if one wished, but Pippa wouldn't quite call it that. While a 'Devil' was the colloquial term for it amongst those who did not have sufficient understanding of their work at the Bureau, the proper title would be a 'Liberator' instead.

 

While Pippa was tasked with using soulmate magic to draw people together, Hecate's job was to separate badly matched pairs. It did not matter if they were soulmates or not (but it does get a lot more complicated if they were already matched as soulmates), Hecate and her fellow Liberators are tasked with breaking up destructive couples, mostly so that the Angels can rematch them with more suitable halves.

 

Hecate had once explained that she'd always felt a sense of satisfaction when they watch the couples they've broken up part, relief clear in both parties. "While one may think that breaking up couples is a horrible thing to do, I think that it is only for the best. After all, the destructive nature of their relationship will only drag them down further as it goes on. At least with this, things can only get better for them after they go their separate ways. They'll suffer less from the failure of their relationship," she had told Pippa.

 

Prior to that, Pippa had been unable to understand how Hecate could stand doing such a dreadful job. Now, she completely understood Hecate's role in maintaining the balance and in helping to bring happiness to those with no magic.

 

With a soft smile on her face, Pippa watched as the two Liberators worked on separating the couple. Hecate produced two vials of emerald potion and handed them to Mildred, who proceeded to pour them over the heads of the man and the woman. The older witch then waved her hand in a circle over the pair as she muttered a chant under her breath. Once done, the duo dematerialised with a twist of Hecate's wrist, and rematerialized next to the blonde and her protégé.

 

"So, what happens next, Miss Hardbroom? Do they just break any ties magically?" Bella piped in when they reappeared, her curiosity getting the better of her.

 

"Mildred, would you like to answer Miss Starlight's question?"

 

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom. Liberator magic doesn't work as quickly as Angel magic does. Over the course of the next few days, they'll gradually come to terms that they're better off as individuals than as a couple holding on to a failed relationship. They'll then part amicably," Mildred replied. She turned towards Hecate, who gave her a brief nod of approval, before beaming back at Pippa and Bella.

 

"If that's all, Miss Starlight, I'm afraid Mildred and I are due to return to the Bureau."

 

"Hecate…" Pippa took one step forward, grabbing hold of the taller witch's arm. "I'll see you back at the Bureau?"

 

"I'll see you back at the Bureau," Hecate repeated Pippa's words with a nod, the promise clear in her voice. The raven-haired witch then took hold of the hand on her arm and squeezed it briefly before letting go. With a subtle wave of the older Liberator's fingers, both Hecate and Mildred were gone, leaving Pippa staring at the space where Hecate had just been, hand tingling from the brief touch.


	2. I'd make sure the light defeated the dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief glimpse into the ladies' friendship.

_If I could turn back the clock,_

_I'd make sure the light defeated the dark._

_I'd spend every hour, of every day,_

_Keeping you safe._

_~~You Are the Reason – Calum Scott~~_

 

Once Pippa and Bella had ensured the success of their mission and returned to the Bureau to complete all necessary paperwork, the blonde sent her protégé to bed and immediately transferred to Hecate's door.

 

Uncertainty bubbled within Pippa as she stared at the door separating her from her best friend. While she would love to knock immediately and be greeted by Hecate, Pippa also could not overlook the strong possibility of the dark-haired witch being absent from her room. Standing by the door, the Angel chose to ignore the questioning looks that some of the Liberators passing through the corridor were sending her. She was used to it, after all these years as Hecate's friend.

 

While many Liberators were aware of their friendship, there were just as many who were not privy to the fact that _the_ Hecate Hardbroom has an Angel as one of her closest friends. Hecate was an extremely private person, and Pippa was aware of it, and respected her for it. It was highly uncommon to see an Angel and a Liberator being friends who were as close as Hecate and Pippa are – _was,_ Pippa mentally corrected – due to the contradictory nature of their jobs and their personalities. Despite that, none of their colleagues and superiors truly minded as long as the balance between both departments were maintained, and neither of them made any mistakes in their jobs that may compromise that balance.

 

When they were just mere children undergoing their training at the Bureau, much like their protégés were currently, everyone could see how happy the friendship made the two. Despite their many differences, Pippa and Hecate had still managed to complement each other, drawing out each other's strengths and making them each better at their respective work. Where Pippa had been rash and emotional, Hecate had been calm, collected, and rational. Where Hecate had been reserved and timid, Pippa had been outspoken and brave. Even with the contradictory nature of their work, they had been able to tap on each other's strengths to overcome their respective weaknesses and acted as each other's sounding boards to resolve their problems together.

 

At least, that was how it was before Hecate left her. Pippa's chest ached at the memory of finding Hecate's room, stripped bare of all the dark-haired witch's belongings, on the morning of their graduation. A distraught Pippa had knocked on the door of every Liberator's room in the West Wing of the Bureau, much to their annoyance, in a poor attempt to search for the whereabouts of the girl she cared so much for. She recalled the looks of pity she had garnered from many of the older Liberators, as though they had known something she did not. It wasn't until years later that Pippa understood why Hecate leaving without a word hurt her so much, and what the looks of pity meant.

 

_Love._

 

Pippa loved Hecate. She had fallen in love with Hecate and was still in love with the woman. Of course, while those Liberators were able to tell from one look at her, it remains unsaid that Pippa must never act on her feelings. And Pippa never did. While a friendship between an Angel and a Liberator was uncommon, a romantic relationship between the two was unheard of.  It was almost as if there was an unspoken rule against an Angel and Liberator falling in love with each other. Thus, Pippa had never mentioned her feelings for Hecate to anyone, and simply chose to content herself with caring for and supporting Hecate as a best friend.

 

No one at the Bureau, not even Pippa, knew for sure what Hecate had been up to during the thirty years that she had been away. When Hecate returned, there had been various rumours swirling around about how Hecate had trained under a Liberator known for her cruelty and ruthlessness before working for a branch of the Bureau in the far seas, and how Hecate would surely turn out to be like Mistress Broomhead. Pippa had ultimately chosen not to listen to the whispers along the corridor and extended her friendship to Hecate upon the woman's return, as though the ebony-haired woman had never left.

 

Yet, despite that, the rift between them felt far too wide to close, no matter how relentless Pippa has been in trying to mend their friendship. Hecate constantly created a distance between them, often seemingly able to gauge when Pippa would go looking for her and choosing to hide from Pippa during those moments. It's been two years since her return now, and while those occasions when Hecate would avoid Pippa are growing few, her fears of being greeted by an empty room remained. Since getting Hecate back, Pippa has always been afraid that she would wake up one day and never see Hecate again. To others, her feat seemed irrational, but was it really?

 

"She's inside, Pippa. Just go on," a soft and gentle voice jolted her from her thoughts. Pippa looked up to see Ada Cackle smiling knowingly at her as the older woman made her way to her own room. Ada has been Hecate's friend and mentor for many years and had plenty to do with Hecate's return to the Bureau's headquarters. The Liberator was likely the only other person to understand Hecate as much as Pippa did, perhaps even more. Even so, her words still did little to assuage Pippa's fears.

 

As Pippa continued to stand there pondering her next move, Ada Cackle took a step forward and knocked sharply on Hecate's door, before winking at Pippa and disappearing into her own room. "Ada!"

 

In her panic, Pippa did the best thing she could think of when the door swung open – she threw herself into Hecate's arms.  

 

* * *

 

Before Hecate could greet whoever was at her door, she was met with an armful of Pippa. Slightly taken aback at the abrupt embrace from the blonde, Hecate leaned back in a meagre attempt at extracting herself from Pippa. With a raised brow, the witch bit out, "Pip – squeak?"

 

"Hello, Hiccup," Pippa sighed as she nuzzled her face into the crook of Hecate's neck. The Liberator couldn't help the shudder at the feeling of Pippa's breath against her skin.  

 

"What is this for?" Hecate gulped.

 

"I just…" Pippa hesitated briefly, "I just missed my best friend."

 

"Oh," Hecate responded dumbly. She gradually allowed herself to sink into the embrace, unwittingly drawing Pippa closer to her as she wrapped her arms around the woman's pink-clad torso. _If I can't love her the way I want to, then this is enough. Just a moment of this is enough._

 

With a resigned laugh, Pippa broke the silence between them. "I actually thought that you might've gone off on another job."

 

"Is that why you were standing outside my door for so long?" Hecate felt as though someone had reached into her chest, wrapping their hand around her heart, squeezing tight and tugging on it. "I did promise you that I'll see you back here."

 

Despite her words, Hecate understood why Pippa had found it difficult to trust her words. She had left once, thirty years before, and even after she returned, she tried to distance herself from Pippa for the fear of hurting the blonde again. It didn't take long before Ada noticed what she had been doing and called her out on it. Subsequently, Hecate has been working on letting Pippa in again.

 

It hasn't been easy for her, however. The crippling fear of someone, particularly Pippa, and aside from Ada who has always known and whom Hecate trusts wholeheartedly, discovering the true extent of her feelings for Pippa constantly hangs overhead. After all, thirty years ago, someone had already done so, and convinced Hecate that her love was poison.

 

Hecate had not been able to deny Broomhead's words to her. "Liberators are destroyers by nature," her ex-mentor had told her, "And Angels, they radiate happiness, particularly ones as pure as _her._ You will only serve to drag her down and destroy her with what you think is love. The only way to prevent that would be to take my offer and leave with me."

Mistress Broomhead had repeated the same words to Hecate throughout her years of training with the woman. _Silly girl. Liberators don't love. It's against our very nature. We'll simply end up destroying everything we presume we love._

 

For a period of time, Hecate believed her. Pippa may have taught her what love was, but Hecate had seen the truth everyday while on the job. Love does not last – not for Liberators anyway. The nature of her existence was to separate people whose love had festered into hatred. She even saw it in her parents, both once Liberators themselves. Their love had fizzled out shortly after marriage, and they remained together out of duty. Around her father, her mother had always been an empty shell of the person she was. From the moment the tiny spark ignited in one's chest, sending their heart thundering into a roar of affection, a Liberator's love was doomed to fail, and their heart meant to be left charred and unfeeling from the affair.

 

It was not until she'd met Ada, a few short years after fleeing from Broomhead's claws, that she was led to believe otherwise. Ada showed her that love came in many forms, and that not all relationships ended badly. Liberators could love. Gwen Bat and Algernon Rowan-Webb, and Dimity Drill and Marigold Mould were all examples of that. Indeed, Liberators destroyed. But destruction is necessary for one to rebuild, and destruction frees the land from the weight of the debris from before. Liberator or not, a relationship could work as much as it could fail.

"Trust me, Hecate. Relationships take work. Not even the Angels can save a couple's relationship if they refuse to work for it. And not even the cruellest Liberators can destroy a relationship if the couple works hard to prevent that from happening," Ada had told her during one of Hecate's first jobs with the woman.

 

And rebuild she would. Hecate knew that her actions have caused Pippa much pain, especially when all the blonde wanted was her best friend. The dark-haired witch has since resolved to work towards rebuilding their friendship and reassuring Pippa's confidence in her.

 

Breaking away from the embrace, Hecate took Pippa's hands in hers. "Pippa, I…" she cleared her throat, "Perhaps we could set aside an evening each week for dinner and a game of chess, just like old times?"

 

Both witches knew that they spent a lot more time together than a mere evening in the past, but Hecate hoped that this was a sufficient step to mending their friendship.

 

With teary eyes, Pippa smiled up at Hecate, tightening her grip on the Liberator's hands. "I'd like that."

 

Hecate let out a breath she had not even been aware that she had been holding. "Now, would you like a cup of tea?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the wonderful comments! I've got quite a bit planned for Hecate and Pippa. The real action will begin next chapter!


	3. two worlds collided (and they could never tear us apart)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mildred learns something about Miss Hardbroom and Miss Pentangle (and she should really be careful of what she wishes for).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments. I'm glad to hear that you guys are enjoying this thus far. :)

_I was standing,_

_You were there._

_Two worlds collided,_

_And they could never tear us apart._

_~~Never Tear Us Apart – INXS~~_

 

Mildred Hubble chewed on her lower lip as she studied Miss Pentangle and Miss Hardbroom, who were sitting a short distance away from her. The girl's eyebrows knitted into a quizzical frown as she watched Miss Pentangle say something that she couldn't quite catch to Miss Hardbroom, whose lips slowly curved up into a smile. At that, Miss Pentangle grinned and spoke some more, causing Miss Hardbroom to break into a soft chuckle. Her mentor proceeded to look down, tucking a non-existent lock of hair behind her ear. That only led to Miss Pentangle smiling brighter than before, her eyes gleaming with a look of _something_ – something that Mildred couldn't quite pinpoint.

 

Mildred gaped at the pair in disbelief. She was a hard-working girl, who gave her best to all that she did, even if she was horrible at it. Even Mum has told her that she loves her perseverance and hardworking nature. In spite of that, Mildred reckons that no matter how hard she strives, she will _never_ understand adults, particularly ones who behave as strangely as Miss Hardbroom has been around Miss Pentangle.

 

The Liberator-in-training had thought that she knew Miss Hardbroom pretty well. Perhaps not as well as Miss Cackle does, but Mildred was the woman's protégé after all. Following the two years under Miss Hardbroom's wing, she has learnt to read the subtle cues and knew how to predict her mentor's moods. Recently, however, Miss Hardbroom has confused Mildred greatly, and the young witch thinks that Miss Pentangle has to do with it.

 

_But Miss Pentangle has been friends with Miss Hardbroom since I arrived at the Bureau. Why would she only start to behave this way after so long? I just don't understand it!_

 

Her frustrated huff did not go unnoticed by the Angel-in-training sitting next to her. Chartreuse eyes met brown and Bella raised a questioning brow at Mildred. "What's up in that pretty mind of yours, Millie?"

 

Mildred figured that it would be better to have a second opinion on her observations. Perhaps Bella would help shed light on her confusion. Figuring that she'd have nothing to lose, Mildred whispered, "I'm having trouble understanding _them_. Did you see how Miss Hardbroom responded to something Miss Pentangle said earlier? Her hair is _always_ perfect when it's up in that bun. You'll never see a strand out of place and she just tried to tuck air behind her ear. And that chuckle! It's hard enough to get her to smile on her best days, let alone laugh!"

 

"That's not all though. She's been making excuses to drop by on your jobs after that masquerade ball one weeks ago. At first, I thought that it really was a pure coincidence where we were 'in the vicinity'. However, the next time she did it again, it took us three transfers to reach you two! I felt so sick after that. Most of the time, when Miss Hardbroom said that we were in the area, I'm confident that we never were. It makes no sense!"

 

Bella's shoulders shook with controlled laughter as she bit down on her lip to prevent her laughter from becoming too vocal. It would not bode well to draw the attention of their mentors after all. Her eyes shone with mirth as she shook her head and smiled, "Oh, Millie. I see why they didn't assign you to be an Angel now."

 

"Oi! What's that supposed to mean?"

 

"I don't mean it in a bad way. I'm sure you had other qualities that would make you an exemplary Liberator. It's just, sometimes, as an Angel, you need to be able to see these things. It helps a lot with the job."

 

Tilting her head in the direction of their mentors, Bella continued, "Look at them. What do you see?"

 

"Um, Miss Pentangle resting her head on Miss Hardbroom's shoulders as they try to spot your marks?" Mildred felt more confused than before. Perhaps asking Bella hadn't been such a good idea after all? Miss Pentangle was probably just tired. What did that have to do with what Mildred was confused about?

 

Bella pinched the bridge of her nose. "Mildred, they're in love with each other. Pretty much anyone apart from themselves _and_ you can see that. How do you think Miss Hardbroom knew where Pippa and I were each time? Pippa herself has been dropping clues to our whereabouts and getting me to do her dirty work occasionally."

 

Oh. _Oh._

 

Of course! It all made sense now. Mildred smacked herself on the forehead. "I should've known!" she exclaimed, drawing curious glances from the two older witches.

 

Once their attention was directed back on the street below, Mildred whispered to Bella, "This is the bats! I just wish I knew how to help them be together."

 

"Alas, it's taboo for an Angel and Liberator to be involved romantically," Bella smiled regretfully.

 

Mildred's heart clenched at the thought of two people who were clearly in love with each other, dictated to never be together by stupid rules.

* * *

 

"Hiccup! Look! That's him! He's walking around the corner there." Pippa pointed excitedly towards the end of the street, where a man in a business suit was striding in their direction. With one hand on Hecate's shoulder, Pippa rose slowly, careful to avoid falling off the unevenly-built roof.

 

"Bella, dear, it's showtime! Watch your step!"

 

Hecate turned back, glancing worriedly at the girls as Bella cautiously stood up. With hands poised to Bella and Mildred should they fall, the dark-haired witch waited with the Angels as they prepared to match the man with one of the waitresses from the café below.

 

"And now should be as good a time as any, my dear," Pippa called out to her protégé.

 

"Even from this distance, Pippa?"

 

With a nod and an encouraging smile, Pippa replied, "That's right. You've done plenty of close-up ones. You're more than ready for a long-range shot."

 

Bella tested her footing by leaning back and forth slightly, rubbing her hands together as she prepared herself for the task. With both palms held out, she allowed two white globes of magic to gather in each of her hands and waited for the moment that the man would pass the café and the waitress would exit to serve one of the customers seated outside.

 

The events that followed happened so quickly that Hecate had no idea how she had managed to react that rapidly. A startled shriek had caught all of their attention, drawing her gaze to her protégé, who had somehow lost her balance and slipped on a loose tile on the roof. Mildred, in a moment of fear, had grabbed onto whatever had been closest to her. Naturally, she had taken hold of Bella's robes, pulling the poor girl down with her, causing her to release the balls of energy in her hands.

 

Hecate had watched in horror as both magical orbs shot towards Pippa. All she knew in that moment was that she had to protect all of them. Sending the spell which had been at the tip of her tongue since the Angels stood up on the roof towards the two young protégés, the Liberator wrapped them both in a soft bubble that carried the girls to safety below. At the same time, the dark-haired witch rushed to put herself between the spheres of magical energy and Pippa. Her efforts had been partially in vain, however, as Pippa had taken a small step forward at the very last second, and rather than simply hitting her, the orbs struck both Pippa and her.

 

Getting struck by Angel magic had knocked the wind out of Hecate's chest and she sank to her knees, but her concern for Pippa far outweighed her own wellbeing. Turning towards Pippa's direction even as she scrambled to find purchase on the roof, Hecate called out, her voice laced with fear and worry, "Pipsqueak? Are you okay?"

 

Despite the impact of the magic against her, Pippa was still standing firmly in her previous position. The Angel's face was set in fierce determination, beads of perspiration glittering across her forehead as she launched two globes of her own magic down onto the street below. The moment the spheres hit their intended targets – the man and the waitress – Pippa lowered herself onto the roof and sank back against the tiles, chest heaving from the exertion.

 

"Just – one minute," the pink-clad witch panted, wiping the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand.

 

Hecate heaved a sigh of relief, glad that Pippa was well enough. Glancing back on the street at their protégés, however, she was puzzled to find them clutching each other, anxious gazes trained on both Pippa and she. Before she could transfer herself down to check on the girls, Hecate's attention was drawn back to Pippa by the woman's sharp gasp.

 

"Hiccup," Pippa gulped, "Look."

 

Pippa was looking down at her outstretched arms and legs. She glanced back and forth between Hecate and her own body.

 

It was then that Hecate noticed the soft golden and purple glow engulfing herself and Pippa. She could feel her heart thundering against her ribcage as it dawned upon her that the magic that hit them had consequences, of which she realised that she may not be able to afford to pay.

 

Bile rose at the back of her throat, and Hecate felt nauseous at the thought of the punishment that could be dealt upon them, particularly since Angel magic should never be used on witches. She was certain that she could take it and would accept any punishment that comes her way. After all, she has suffered the worst punishments as Broomhead's student. But _Pippa_. Bright, wonderful, lovely Pippa. Hecate couldn't let Pippa go through that.

 

Seemingly able to read her thoughts, Pippa took her hand, both of them gasping at the warmth that flooded their bodies when their skin made contact. With a soft smile, Pippa squeezed her hand and said gently, "It's okay, Hecate. It was an accident. We'll be okay. Breathe, darling."

 

It took several minutes before Hecate found herself ready to face the two young girls under their care. With a nervous glance back at Pippa, who nodded her assent, Hecate transferred them both to where Mildred and Bella were. As soon as they materialised, they were confronted with an assault of babbling from both girls.

 

"Miss Hardbroom! I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened, but I just put my weight on one foot and the next thing I knew, I was falling! I didn't mean to cause trouble! Does the glowing hurt?"

 

"Pippa! Are you okay? I should've had better control over my magic. I…have we failed the mission?"

 

"Silence!" Both mouths snapped shut at Hecate's exclamation.

 

Taking that as her cue to interject, Pippa smiled softly at her protégé, "It's alright, Bella. You did what anyone in that situation would've done. As for the mission, I managed to fix things. Don't worry."

 

"As for you, Mildred Hubble, I should've known that you would slip and fall, even whilst sitting." Hecate rolled her eyes. "And no, the _glowing_ does not hurt, but we have no idea what the magic has done to us, considering that it's against the Code for Angel magic to be used upon witches."

 

Bella paled at her words. Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered, "I'm going to be expelled, aren't I?"

 

"Hecate!" Pippa shot her a fierce glare and hurried to console Bella. "Not on my watch. It was an _accident_. No one was expecting that to happen. I'm sure the Council will understand. Neither of you girls will be punished for this as long as I live and breathe."

 

Bella looked up gratefully at her mentor and rushed forward to engulf her in a tight hug. "Thank you, Pippa."

 

"Um, Miss Hardbroom? Why did you and Miss Pentangle tie a red string around your ankles?"

 

Puzzled, Hecate looked down and sure enough, found one end of a red cord tied around one of her ankles, with Pippa's ankle being bound by the other end.

 

_The fabled red string of fate. How did things get this complicated?_


End file.
